CHAISA and Marapodi residents have bemoaned rising levels of crime in their areas and have called on the police to increase patrols to contain the situation.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, Mike Chanda of Chaisa compound said there was need for concerted efforts to address the rising cases of crime in Lusaka, especially in Chaisa and Marapodi compounds as people had continued to be attacked by thugs.

Mr. Chanda noted city dwellers were now living in fear due to rising cases of robbery and murder.

He suggested that the community, civic leaders and law enforcers should work together if the issue was to be addressed adequately, especially through the strengthening of neighborhood watches.

Another Chaisa resident Kelvin Chaponda said criminals had turned the Ngwerere foot bridge into a den to carry out various criminal activities.

He said the Ngwerere bridge had been infested with criminals, who were robbing and attacking people, hence the community and civic leaders should work together to bring the criminals to book.

And Mercy Ngulube of Marapodi compound reiterated the importance of having a crime-free city where every person would live and do business peacefully.

Ms. Ngulube feared that if the issue was left unaddressed, it would scare away potential investors, adding that it was the duty of every citizen to ensure that crime was relentlessly fought.

“At the moment President Edgar Lungu and Government are working hard to attract foreign investment to the country, therefore it is our duty as citizens to stop crime,” she said.

And Chaisa aspiring PF candidate for Ward 22 Joseph Tamba said the fight against crime was in the hands of councillors since they were the ones presiding over the areas where these criminal acts were taking place.

“We have to promote the ‘know your neighbor’ initiative to help minimize crime because in doing so, everyone will be able to know who his or her neighbor is , what they do for a living and if they look suspicious they will be reported to the police immediately,” he said.

And assistant police spokesperson Esther Katongo implored the community to report criminals and suspects to police, saying that was one of the ways they could help fight crime.

She said there was need for people to cooperate and work with the police in apprehending thugs.

“Some of these criminals live among us, we chat with them and some are even renting our houses; please let us make this city habitable,” she said.